CUSTOM MADE ONE STRING BASS

This instrument is based on the ‘ Diddly bow’ an american blues instrument used around the early 20th century during the depression in the USA. It had just the one string and was plucked and a metal slide was employed to adjust the pitch. It could be made of scrap timber and a piece of fencing wire.

This one I use is a modern version, with a bass string on it. It is made of Mulga( an Australian hardwood) and has a rosewood fingerboard. About 2mm underneath this fingerboard is an active pickup that is very responsive and therefore allowing the player to stroke, pluck, feather, and bow with a very light touch.

It has a hand made aluminium pedal and a brass moveable bridge to adjust pitch,this one was built with springs to keep the string tight during playing and the foot pedal slackens it off.

This is a fantastic instrument to make all kinds of sounds on, from sub sonic afterworld aliens to bowed pastoral scenes, but mostly eerie, or thats just where I go.

It was custom made by Azo Bell from Byron Bay Australia In 2014 for my experiments into sounds.